Are Christian disciples guided by the stars?
Another sign was seen in heaven. Look! A great fiery-colored dragon, with seven heads and ten horns and on its heads seven diadems; and its tail drags a third of the stars of heaven, and it hurled them down to the earth.—Rev. 12:3-4 Warnings to Christian disciples ;Seduction and corruption But I am afraid that somehow, as the serpent seduced Eve by its cunning, your minds might be corrupted away from the sincerity and the chastity that are due the Christ. —2 Cor. 11:3 ;Struggle against the wicked spirit forces in the heavenly places Finally, go on acquiring power in the Lord and in the mightiness of his strength. Put on the complete suit of armor from God so that you may be able to stand firm against the crafty acts of the Devil; because we have a struggle, not against blood and flesh, but against the governments, against the authorities, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the wicked spirit forces in the heavenly places. For this reason take up the complete suit of armor from God, so that you may be able to resist in the wicked day and, after you have accomplished everything, to stand firm. —Eph. 6:10-13 The hunt for Jesus A star leads astrologers from the East to meet Herod, unbeknownst to them, to aid in a plot to hunt and kill Jesus. :Gospel of Matthew 2:1-23 ; Astrologers from the East are guided by a star to Herod 1 After Jesus had been born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, look! astrologers from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 saying: “Where is the one born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when we were in the East, and we have come to do obeisance to him.” 3 At hearing this, King Herod was agitated, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 On gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They said to him: “In Bethlehem of Judea, for this is how it has been written through the prophet: 6 ‘And you, O Bethlehem of the land of Judah, are by no means the most insignificant city among the governors of Judah, for out of you will come a governing one, who will shepherd my people Israel.’” ;Herod ascertains the star's appearance to the astrologers, in a plot to hunt and kill Jesus 7 Then Herod secretly summoned the astrologers and carefully ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearing. 8 When sending them to Bethlehem, he said: “Go make a careful search for the young child, and when you have found him, report back to me so that I too may go and do obeisance to him.” ;The star leads the astrologers in Herod's plot 9 After they had heard the king, they went their way, and look! the star they had seen when they were in the East went ahead of them until it came to a stop above where the young child was. 10 On seeing the star, they rejoiced with great joy. 11 And when they went into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and falling down, they did obeisance to him. They also opened their treasures and presented him with gifts—gold and frankincense and myrrh. ;Divine warnings by dreams, intervene in Herod's plot to kill Jesus 12 However, because they were given divine warning in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their country by another way. 13 After they had departed, look! Jehovah’s angel appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying: “Get up, take the young child and his mother and flee to Egypt, and stay there until I give you word, for Herod is about to search for the young child to kill him.” 14 So Joseph got up and by night took along the young child and the child’s mother and went into Egypt. 15 He stayed there until the death of Herod. This fulfilled what was spoken by Jehovah through his prophet, saying: “Out of Egypt I called my son.” 16 Then Herod, seeing that he had been outwitted by the astrologers, flew into a great rage, and he sent out and had all the boys in Bethlehem and in all its districts killed, from two years of age and under, according to the time that he had carefully ascertained from the astrologers. 17 Then was fulfilled what was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet, who said: 18 “A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and much wailing. It was Rachel weeping for her children, and she was unwilling to take comfort, because they are no more.” 19 When Herod had died, look! Jehovah’s angel appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt 20 and said: “Get up, take the young child and his mother and go into the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the life of the young child are dead.” 21 So he got up and took the young child and the child’s mother and entered into the land of Israel. 22 But hearing that Archelaus ruled Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Moreover, being given divine warning in a dream, he withdrew into the territory of Galilee. 23 And he came and settled in a city named Nazareth, in order to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets: “He will be called a Nazarene.” Mosaic law principles Jehovah God made a covenant with the Israelites in Horeb, to not bow down or serve the stars :Torah ;Do not get seduced by the stars 19 And when you raise your eyes to the heavens and see the sun and the moon and the stars—all the army of the heavens—do not get seduced and bow down to them and serve them. Jehovah your God has given them to all the peoples under the whole heavens. 20 But you are the ones Jehovah took and brought out of the iron-smelting furnace, out of Egypt, to become the people of his personal possession, as you are today. —Due. 4:19-20 ;Do not make an image of anything in the heavens above 8 “‘You must not make for yourself a carved image or a form like anything that is in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters under the earth. 9 You must not bow down to them nor be led to serve them, for I, Jehovah your God, am a God who requires exclusive devotion, bringing punishment for the error of fathers upon sons, upon the third generation and upon the fourth generation of those who hate me, 10 but showing loyal love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments. —Due. 5:8-10 External links * [http://www.jw.org/en/publications/magazines/g201210/do-the-stars-affect-your-life/#? Awake (2012) Oct. ed. Do the Stars Affect Your Life?]: The lesson from the Bible is clear: Our life course depends on the choices we make—not on the stars (See Galatians 6:7). Category:Christian articles